Sol in Wonderland
by malicent
Summary: 10 years after the murder of Ashfur, Sol confesses as the self-proclaimed killer. This makes Hollyleaf innocent, and Leafpool stuggles to solve the case. But then she starts seeing him, everywhere. This leaves one question: is Sol really the crazy one?
1. Chapter 1

_Sol in Wonderland_

Chapter 1

"My name is Sol," an orange and black coloured cat said into the video camera. "And why, you ask, am I recording this? I did something unforgivable, and this is my last chance. You see, I killed someone... but by the time you read this I'll be gone. No one will know where, and no one will know how. You will not find one trace of me. I could never have told you, you know. But if you have ever killed someone, you'd know how it feels to keep it to yourself. It eats you alive. So listen well, viewers. I killed Ashfur. And here's a word of advice to you all...

_A man is only as sick as his secrets."_

Click. Leafpool turned off the tape and faced her awestruck audience. Leafpool was the head detective in ThunderClan, and it was her job to deliver all the bad news. She took a deep breath, and began.

"This tape was found last night, underneath the river 50 metres off Sols property. The house was abandoned, obviously a while ago. There wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and the dogs couldn't scent anything alive on the entire territory."

The room of detectives tittered in the silence, some taking notes on their notepads.

_No? _Leafpool thought. _Not one of you is going to ask? _Leafpool cleared her throat for the second time.

"As you all may have figured out, Sol is the self-proclaimed killer. This also means Hollyleaf is innocent," Leafpool finished grimly, trying not to think of what would happen if Hollyleaf was set free.

"But what about Ashfurs body?" Detective Graystripe called out. "Did Sol take that too?"

"That's the part that doesn't make any sense," Leafpool said slowly. "There was no traces of him at his house, or anywhere else. It was almost like he just... vanished." Leafpool thought carefully for a second. "Come to think of it, we all knew Ashfur was missing, but no one knew he was dead, because we couldn't find a body."

The crowd of detectives shifted nervously, clearly uncomfortable. Leafpool knew it was time to start assigning the case.

"Okay, look. This is the biggest mystery that's ever happened in ThunderClan, and I know none of you have been trained for this. But i need someone to take this case," Leafpool looked around the room and scowled when she realized no one was willing to volunteer.

"Graystripe?" She turned her narrowed eyes at him, making him squirm.

"No can do, Leafpool," he mumbled. "I've already got my hands full with another case."

_Yeah right._

"Alright, you leave me no choice," Leafpool glared at her unwilling team of detectives. "I'll do it."

A sigh of relief cascaded across the room.

"Alright, then. You can go home now if your finished filing all your paperwork," Leafpool pulled the tape out of the VCR and put it in her bag.

"See you all tomorrow." Leafpool didn't make eye contact with anyone as she left the building, still irritated that her team was so unwilling to help her.

_Whatever,_ Leafpool thought. _It's just another silly case._ It wasn't the case Leafpool was dreading, it was telling Hollyleaf that she was innocent. Leafpool sighed, shoving the thought from her mind. There was no point in worrying about it now, it would just cause unnecessary stress. Leafpool pulled out her picture of Sol that was in her bag. This was taken a while back, and it was the only one they could find. He was smiling, looking into the camera. Leafpool looked over his innocent looking face, and sighed.

_Why did you do this,_ Leafpool thought.

_And where did you go?_

FOUR DAYS LATER.

"Leafpool, come to bed," Crowfeather said, exasperated. (Crowfeather is Leafpools husband.) "Stop thinking about it."

"HOW, Crowfeather? How can someone just disappear?" Leafpools voice cracked. "Its not like he can just _vanish_ into thin air!"

"Its not important right now, dear. Why do you always take your work home with you?"

Leafpool stormed over to her husband and glared at him. "Because there is a psychopath _killer_ on the loose somewhere, and I don't have the slightest clue where!" she hissed.

"You can't save the world, Leafpool."

"That's not the point! _Who_ caught Tigerstar when all those cats were murdered?"

"Um, you did, but-"

"WHO caught Clawface when Spottedleaf was reported missing?"

"You, but I really think-"

"And _who, _Crowfeather, who caught _scourge? _SCOURGE FOR GODS SAKE! I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO GUESSED IT WAS HIM, SO WHY CANT I FIGURE OUT WHERE SOL IS?"

"Leafpool! Stop!" Crowfeather grabbed her by the shoulders. "You _can_ do it, Leafpool. I know you can. It's only been 4 days. Give it some time, and you'll figure it out." Leafpool hung her head miserably.

"Im supposed to be the leader of this town, Crowfeather. Im the head detective. Its my job to make sure everyone's safe. How can I ever forgive myself when its _my_ fault an innocent girl has been locked in jail for 10 years?" Leafpool flopped backwards on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Crowfeather stiffened.

"Are you talking about Hollyleaf?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes."

Crowfeather shook his head, eerily glancing around. This frightened Leafpool.

"What?" she asked, sitting up.

"Don't get me wrong, Hollyleafs innocent... but don't you think its better for her to.. not be let out?"

"What are you talking about."

"She had to be drugged and chained to the wall for the first three days, honey. She's got a bit of a grudge against you."

Leafpool felt her mouth go dry. "She might," Leafpool gulped. "But I was the one who put her in there. I need to be the one who takes her out." Crowfeather gave his wife a kiss on the cheek.

"Im going to bed," he said. "Try not to stress about this too much. Please," Crowfeather rolled over and shut his eyes, leaving Leafpool to her confused thoughts.

RING RING

Leafpool woke up to the ringing phone. Realizing it was two in the morning, Leafpool groaned. She reached over onto her table and picked up her phone.

"Hello?" she mumbled.

"Hi, Leafpool. Sorry about the bad timing. Its me, Graystripe."

"What's up," Leafpool asked.

"Um, I know this is going to sound silly, but im a bit freaked out."

Leafpools blood went cold. "Why?"

Graystripe hesitated. "Well, you know how Hollyleafs in jail?"

"Yeah, obviously. I was the one who put her in there," Leafpool replied. Graystripe took in a long shaky breath.

"I know this is going to sound odd, but I think I just saw her."

"That doesn't make any sense..." Leafpools voice trailed off.

"I know, okay? but it was weird. I could feel her presence. And then she said something," Leafpool couldn't help noticing Graystripes voice go quieter, as if he was scared of someone overhearing him.

"She said, a man is only as sick as his secrets."

Leafpool recognized Sols words instantly. "Is this some kind of joke?" Leafpool snapped.

"No, no... it really happened," Graystripe sounded like he was about to cry. "Leafpool, i'm _terrified."_

"Its okay, Graystripe," Leafpool was actually starting to worry.

"There's some.."

"What?" Leafpool couldn't hear him.

"There's someone walking up the stairs," Graystripe whispered. Leafpool was having a hard time processing what was going on.

"Ok, I want you to leave the phone on, and pretend to be asleep," Leafpool said. "I'll listen and tell you if I hear anything. Got that?_ leave the phone on."_

Then all was quiet. Leafpool strained to listen. At first all she could hear was Graystripes laboured breathing, but then she heard it. A girls voice. Hollyleafs voice.

"Don't you remember what I told you about telling her?" Hollyleaf hissed, and the phone went dead.

**Hello everyone! This is my second story I've written since I started Lionblaze has a Shadow.** **I just wanted to give a special mention to "The Evil Flamer," who convinced me that lowercasing your 'i's is a serious, serious problem. If your reading this, "Evil Flamer," I hope you'll notice I fixed all my spelling errors, just for you my dear. Oh and by the way, if I get one more out of line review from you, you're getting reported. **

**Have fun criticizing me now. **


	2. Chapter 2

_Sol in Wonderland_

Chapter 2

"Detective Graystripe, report to the main office at once," Leafpool literally shouted over the PDA speakers. Last night scared her to death, and when she saw Graystripes car in the parking lot five minutes ago, she couldn't believe her eyes. Leafpool was angry because Graystripe hadn't even bothered to call her back to tell her he was okay, and yet he was here, doing his work like nothing had happened. Leafpool was woken from her thoughts when Graystripe walked into her office, holding a box of donuts.

"What was that all about last night?" Leafpool demanded. Graystripe looked confused.

"Excuse me?"

"You scared me to _death,_ and you didn't even bother calling me back to tell me what happened?" Leafpool narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

"It's a little early for jokes, Leafpool. Stop being silly, we're all too stressed for your games. Would you like a donut?" Graystripe held the box out for her.

"No I do not want a _donut! _I want an explanation! What was Hollyleaf doing at your house last night?"

A long silence enfolded.

"Um, Hollyleafs in jail," Graystripe said at last.

"Yeah I know that, I'm not stupid! But you called... she was at your house... I _heard_ her!" Leafpool suddenly realized how unbelievable she sounded. "Don't pretend to be confused, Graystripe. You called me last night at two in the morning. You said you were scared and you could feel Hollyleafs presence," Leafpool ignored Graystripes confused face. "Im telling you as your friend that this really happened."

"And im telling you as your friend to get some help," Graystripe shook his head in disbelief. "You probably dreamed it. And stop looking at me like that," Graystripe snapped as he looked at Leafpool face, which was a mixture of confusion and stress.

"Your right," Leafpool said. "I did dream it. Sorry to waste your time. Now put the donuts on my desk and leave my sight."

Graystripe rolled his eyes and did as he was told. When he was gone, Leafpool sat for a good five minutes thinking. His phone call felt so real... it couldn't have been a dream.

Or could it?

LATER ON IN THE DAY

Leafpool was dreading what was going to happen. It was time to tell Hollyleaf she was free. Leafpool would never admit that she was too scared to go alone, so she made up a story about how she wanted others there with her in case Hollyleaf tried anything dangerous. Detectives Goldenflower and Hazeltail agreed unwillingly to go with her. Now they were walking towards Hollyleafs cell, and Leafpool was getting more stressed by the minute.

Then she saw her.

Hollyleaf sat sitting on her bed, reading a book. Short black hair covered her face, and her size 00 figure looked even smaller than when Leafpool had last seen her. Then she looked up, and her green eyes darkened when she saw Leafpool. Green eyes met green eyes, and Leafpool was the first to blink. She slowly lifted her hand and waved. Hollyleaf flipped her the finger in return. Leafpool plastered a smile on her face and turned to face her detectives.

"I think I should go in alone," Leafpool said through her fake smile. "I need to talk to her."

"Why?" Hazeltail asked.

"Because," Leafpool looked back at Hollyleaf. "She's my daughter."

Given the looks on Hazeltails and Goldenflowers faces, it was clear they had forgotten about that. Leafpool didn't blame them, she had briefly told them once around ten years ago.

"Well, we'll be right here if you need us," Goldenflower said bravely, and Leafpool took a deep breath and pulled out her keys. The click of the door unlocking startled Hollyleaf, and she looked up and scowled when she saw her mother.

"Hello, Hollyleaf," Leafpool said quietly.

"Go to hell," Hollyleaf whispered, turning her attention back to her book. Leafpool decided to tell her she was free in a few minutes.

"I've missed you," Leafpool said truthfully.

No reply.

"I just wanted to tell you how sorry I am."

Hollyleaf looked up at this.

"You never deserved to be here, my love. And im here to tell you that your free," Leafpool said.

"You serious?"

"Yes. Sol confessed to the murder, and that makes you innocent. You can come with me now, if you like," Leafpool said. Hollyleaf sat thinking for a minute.

"You think its that easy, _Leafpool?"_ she sighed. "You throw me in here, don't talk to me for ten years, and now you're here telling me it was all a_ mistake?_ Im your own kid for crying out loud!" Leafpool tried not to dwell on the fact that Hollyleaf refused to call her 'mom'.

"Hollyleaf-"

"Don't _Hollyleaf_ me! Your so uncaring, you didn't even ask me," she hissed.

"Asked you what," Leafpool already knew in her heart what she was going to say.

"You didn't ask me," Hollyleaf snapped. "If it was me who killed him!"

"I didn't think I needed to," Leafpool said, frustrated. "Look Hollyleaf, all the evidence pointed at you! And now Sol confesses, and everything is messed up.. It doesn't make any sense," Leafpools voice trailed off.

"Your right. It doesn't make any sense, does it?" Hollyleaf laughed. "But you're the detective, not me. So go round up your pathetic team. Your never going to figure this out."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because, _Leafpool, _I was the one who told Sol to kill him," Hollyleaf said. Leafpool lost the ability to speak.

"So you see, you really did have a reason to lock me up, I'll give you credit for that," Hollyleaf smiled.

"Im still sorry I did it," Leafpool said quietly.

"Oh I bet your sorry. And guess what? I forgive you," Hollyleafs face softened as she looked at her mother. "I forgive you, because you're my mother. I guess I got that stupid forgiving gene from you. You are my mother, after all," Hollyleaf said.

"Hollyleaf, this means so much to me..." Leafpools heart lifted.

"But you'll never be my friend," Hollyleaf said, crushing Leafpools raised spirits.

"Now im going to leave, and your not going to follow me," Hollyleaf stood up and walked out of her cell.

"Wait! Hollyleaf!" Leafpool cried before she was out of earshot. Hollyleafs head whipped around.

"What?"

"Were you in Graystripes house last night?" Leafpool said.

"You're crazy," Hollyleaf snapped. As she passed Goldenflower and Hazeltail, she said: "Did you hear what Leafpool just asked me? Is that seriously someone you want as your leader?"

Leafpool sighed. Talking to Hollyleaf got her nowhere, but at least she knew one thing: Hollyleaf was not in Graystripes house last night.

So who was?

_**meanwhile**_

_He looked at the orange and black cat, unable to speak. Sol, he called himself. _

"_Can I please have a glass of water?" Ashfur asked. Sol adjusted his top hat and smiled. _

"_After the show," he said. "Now if I untie you, will you promise me you'll be good?" Ashfur thought about how thirsty he was and nodded his head yes. Sol untied the ropes and led Ashfur down the hall. _

"_Put it on," Sol instructed, motioning towards the mask in Ashfurs hand. Ashfur pulled it over his head. Sol led Ashfur through the door, into a bright colored room full of other cats, all wearing masks. _

"_Where are we?" Ashfur asked, frightened. _

"_Welcome to Wonderland," Sol grinned. "Tonight we're stealing the show."_


	3. Chapter 3

_Sol in Wonderland_

Chapter 3

The Sol Project - Clues

- No traces of Ashfurs body, anywhere. (Could he maybe be alive?)

- Hollyleaf supposedly told Sol to kill him? (Why?)

- Leafpools "dream" about Hollyleaf (Weird...)

- Sols video (Why would he confess suddenly?)

- All other evidence points to Hollyleaf ... (Where did Sol even come from?)

- Where is Sol now? (Does anyone but me even care?)

Leafpool sighed and shoved her notes away from her. She had been trying to figure out the Sol case for the past few weeks, and so far, nothing was making sense. Sol was still missing. Hollyleafs free (and still ignoring Leafpools calls). Graystripe seems to have lost his memory and Leafpool was still sitting here wondering just what the heck happened to cause so much uncertainty. There was no real evidence, really. Other then Hollyleafs word and a videotape that Sol made. Leafpool sat thinking for a minute, then she realized what she had to do. Thunderclan had never handled something like this, and sitting around doing nothing but guessing was so not going to work. Leafpool grabbed the PDA speaker and made an announcement to the entire building.

"I want all rank one and two detectives in my office, now. And Graystripe, I know you're a rank four but I want you to come too." Leafpool clicked the button off. It was time to start getting serious, and she needed her best cats to help her. Plus Graystripe. A few minutes after the announcement was made, cats started entering her office, looking confused. Leafpool motioned for them to all wait in the council room. Leafpool followed them in and stood at the end of the table where everyone could see her. Hazeltail, Goldenflower, Willowshine and Cedarheart looked back at her.

_This is a shrimpy amount of elites, _Leafpool thought. _But it'll have to work._

"Okay then, as you all know-" Leafpool started talking but then cut off when she remembered something.

"Where's Graystripe?" she demanded.

"Probably still playing solitaire on his computer," Hazeltail said. "He's in a bad mood today, Leafpool. If he was here he'd just complain anyway."

Leafpool stormed back to her office and grabbed the PDA speaker for the second time.

"Graystripe, _now._" Leafpool returned to her small group of detectives, who were fidgeting and obviously didn't want to be there. Graystripe walked in a second later, and slumped into a chair and tried not to scowl. "Good," Leafpool clapped her hands together.

"Now that your all here," she glared at Graystripe. "I've decided to step things up around here. No more sitting around playing solitaire when im not looking. No more sitting around awkwardly discussing what we think we know. I want this case _solved._ I want door to door investigations, I want another search of Sols house. I want every tiny thing that seems out of place reported to me. Do you think you can do that?" Leafpool looked at their reactions and groaned.

"Come _on _people! This is a serious deal and your all sitting there with your eyes glazed!"

"Its not our fault," Graystripe snapped. "No one here has been trained for this except you."

"Well, maybe its time you learned," Leafpool shot back. "Graystripe, Hazeltail, go to Sols house and search it. Im not talking glance around once and leave, im talking look at every detail of everything. Cedarheart, Goldenflower, Go door to door around Sols neighborhood and ask everyone what they know about them. Willowshine, watch Sols confession video and try to find a clue of where it was taken," Leafpool barked off the orders like a drill Sargent.

"What are you going to do?" Graystripe asked.

"I get the best job of all," Leafpool sighed. "I get to call the Shadowclan team and hold up a white flag in surrender."

The Shadowclan team, also known as the Behavior Analysis Unit, were the best team of detectives in the province. Thunderclans was so small, mainly because Tigerstar had scared them all off the force. Shadowclan was always mocking them, boasting about their power. Leafpool had always ignored their taunts and mock offerings to help. But now, she was desperate. Leafpool resentfully dialed their number, and unfortunately it was Blackstar who picked up.

"Hello, Leafpool."

Leafpool could feel the mocking laugh in his voice.

"Id love to chat, but we're quite busy right now."

"Give me a break. If you were so busy you wouldn't have picked up the phone."

"Why don't you tell me what you want instead of wasting my time," Blackstar said. Leafpool tried not to grimace as she told them about the Sol case.

"So you need our help?" Blackstar triumphed. "I guess your little charade is up, and we were right. Four measly detectives can't do the job after all."

"Can you just help me out for one minute, Blackstar? Have you heard any news about Sol on your end of the province?" Leafpool heard Blackstar sigh and type something into his computer.

"One minute," he grunted. Leafpool was just starting to wonder if he had forgotten he was on the phone, but then he spoke.

"We've got news about Sol all right," Blackstar said grimly.

"But I don't think your gonna like it."

A fax was delivered to Leafpools printer, it was a newspaper article from the Shadowclan region. Leafpool read it several times to try to make sense of it.

_Fourteen cats missing in one day - all in the same neighborhood. Shadowclan investigators have taken the disappearances into their own hands, and the stricken neighbor hood has created a watch for their missing friends. Every cat is looking behind them, searching for the faceless "Sol", who is believed to be at the core of the vanishing cats. Sol, (unidentified) has a internet website calling out to cats who worship the dark forest. This is the unedited version of the poem on the site, which we believe is connected to the disappearances. _

_In this life we call to hell_

_underground the earth we dwell_

_filled with things we don't care to know_

_behind our faces we'll never show_

_now there's a place I know of see_

_now if you'll all follow me_

_but understand no one can know_

_so leave but do not let it show_

_so follow directions you cease to belive _

_and when you do you will find me_

_I don't want you if your fake_

_but if you have what it takes_

_you'll be fine, and not controlled_

_you wont have to see your soul_

_to the higher ranks of me_

_I just do the work you see_

_so follow this, a coded map _

_even if its just a trap_

_NEWS UPDATE_

_Sol has been admitted for arson and murder. Videos of Sol confessing to the following names have been found buried underground in various parts of the state. Shadowclan investigators are confused, not sure where to look next. Sol himself is gone, and this leaves only one question: Where did he put the bodies?_

Leafpool sat down on her chair slowly, face white. It was all starting to make sense, and it all came to her at once.

Sol made videos of confessing his murders to every one of his victims.

There were no bodies.

Sol made a website for misunderstood cats to follow a trail and find him.

Sol wasn't the core of the disappearances.

The victims were runaways.

Sol made the videos to make everyone to think they were dead.

Sol didn't kill anyone.

**Ashfur is alive.**

_**meanwhile**_

_Ashfur cautiously looked into Sols room. He was in luck tonight, Sol was sleeping. And he never slept. Ashfur, quiet as a mouse, walked across the room and picked up the video camera and a blank cassette off his table. Then he left the way he came, silent like the wind. Ashfur quietly shut the door to his room, and set up the camera so it filmed his face. _

_Click._

_It was recording._

"_My name is Ashfur," Ashfur whispered. "And if your watching this, help me. Please. This guy is a madman, and I can't take it anymore." a noise distracted Ashfur, and he looked behind him. "He's coming," Ashfur whispered. "Find Hollyleaf and tell her to-" Ashfurs voice cut off. His door had opened, and Sol stood there before the camera. _

"_Turn it off," Sol said quietly. Ashfur threw one more helpless glance at the camera, then it clicked. _

_The recording stopped. _


	4. Chapter 4

_Sol in Wonderland_

Chapter 4

"Can I get a soy latte please, low fat," Leafpool asked the cat behind the counter. She knew she shouldn't drink coffee, because it made her jittery. But she needed something to calm her nerves, _something_ to occupy herself while she waited for Crowfeather to show up. He was late, and Leafpool tried to ignore the fact that it was probably on purpose. Crowfeather had been acting very distant lately, and Leafpool wanted to know why. Thank goodness it was her day off, so she could forget about Sol and the case for at least a little while.

_Ding._

The bell over the door jingled, throwing Leafpool back to reality. Crowfeather stood there, looking around the room for her. When their eyes met Leafpools heart sank. He didn't look like he wanted to be here, causing Leafpools anxiety to go up even more. She decided it was probably best to just act casual. Leafpool took a big swallow of her coffee and nearly spat it out again. It was scalding hot.

"Did you burn your tongue?" Crowfeather asked as he sat down next to Leafpool.

"Yes," she said, not enjoying the burnt feeling of her taste buds.

"So, why did you want me to meet you?" Crowfeather asked, looking as if he were annoyed by the fact his wife wanted to spend time with him.

"It feels like there's something wrong, Crowfeather. And I want to know why," Leafpool said.

Crowfeather didn't meet her eyes. "Things have just been complicated lately," he mumbled. "This Sol thing has changed you into a completely different cat. It's all you ever talk about. And when your not talking about it, your thinking about it and stressing yourself out about it every second of the day. I don't like it, Leafpool," Crowfeather said. Leafpool had to take a minute to find words to reply.

"Your overreacting," she said at last. Crowfeather rolled his eyes and groaned. "You just don't _get it!_ I want you to drop this case, period."

"You can't possibly mean that," Leafpool choked. "This is my job!"

"It's not your job to dedicate your life to some crackhead killer. Just give the case to Graystripe or whatever the hell his name is," Crowfeather snapped, looking more angry with every second.

"Because I'm tired, Leafpool! I'm tired of trying to talk to you, but you push me away because you're too _busy_ thinking about wherever the hell Sol is! _Who cares._ I'm done with Sol, and I'm done with you," Crowfeather stood up and looked at her one last time. "Call me when the Sol case is done," he said, his expression softening. "I'll wait for you." Then he turned and walked out of the café. Leafpool felt humiliated as she looked around at the sympathetic faces looking in her direction. A few were hiding their laughter behind their hands. Leafpool flipped her hair back and took a drink of her coffee to make it look like she didn't care. She made a face as it burned her tongue again.

"_Wait what?" Ashfur hissed. "They want _me_ to go in _there?"_ he jerked his head towards the boggy looking forest. The masked cat behind him gave the slightest nod of her head. _

"_Yeah," she whispered. "You better go soon, their watching us you know." _

"_But why me?" Ashfur groaned. "Why is it always me who has to do this stuff?" The masked cat sighed. _

"_You just don't get it, do you? Why do you think they captured you, instead of taking you when you ran away?" _

"_I didn't run away though," Ashfur said, confused. _

"_That's the point," the masked cat growled. "They chose you as our leader, and that's why you have to go in there." The masked cat looked behind her into the dark forest. _

"_That's why you to go and find Wonderland." _

_Ashfur unwillingly looked into the uninviting forest. "I can't though," he whispered. "I mean, what do they expect me to do about it? No one's seen Wonderland before." _

"_Sols seen it," the masked cat said. _

"_Sols insane. He probably just made the whole thing up to scare the rest of us." _

_The masked cat didn't respond. _

"_I mean, does it really make any sense? Tell me, why did all you cats run away to this place?"_

_Still no response. _

"_Why did you let Sol make everyone believe you are dead?" Ashfur pressed. _

"_Because he promised a life of greatness," the masked cat said after a few long moments. "He promised us "Wonderland." But all he uses us for is freaks in his shows," the cat flipped off her mask to reveal her scarred face. _

"_That's why you have to find it, Ashfur. Find us the place we have all given up our lives to have." _

"_Wonderland," Ashfur repeated. "And how do I find it? I don't suppose I'll just luckily stumble upon it." _

"_I don't know," the cat said. "But it's there somewhere." _

_Ashfur took a few steps toward the forest. "I still don't get why they chose me," he said. _

"_They just did, Ashfur." The cat said before turning away. _

"_Now get in there before they change their minds."_

"Leafpool? Leafpool!" Graystripe tapped her on the shoulder and she woke up. Blinking open her eyes, Leafpool could sleepily make out the blurry image of Graystripe standing over her.

"Why are you at my house?" she asked groggily. Graystripe sighed.

"I'm not at your house, Leafpool. I'm at the office wondering what the heck are you doing sleeping when you should be filing paperwork."

"What? We're at the office?" Leafpool dumbly sat up off the couch and looked around. "So we are," she said.

"Are you okay? If your too tired, maybe you should just go home and rest," Graystripe said sympathetically.

"I'm fine," Leafpool snapped. "I'm just tired because I didn't sleep well last night." she started shuffling around her papers to try to find an understanding of what she should be doing.

"Are you sure your-"

"I'm fine," Leafpool said. "Now if you want to help, you can go buy me a coffee." Graystripe gave up and left her office. The second he was gone, Leafpool laid her head back down on her desk. In seconds, she was asleep again. She wished she hadn't, because she dreamed.

"_Hello, Leafpool." a voice said. Leafpool looked around, searching for the cat connected to the voice._

"_Who's there?" she called._

"_I know your stressed, Leafpool."_

_Still, no figure. "I know a place where you can let yourself free from this stressful life." Leafpool was frightened. _

"_Who are you? What do you want?" she called. _

"_Oh I think you know who I am," an orange and black cat stepped out from behind a shadow. "My name is Sol." _


	5. Chapter 5

_Sol in Wonderland _

Chapter 5

"S-Sol?" Leafpools voice trembled. "What do you want?"

Sol laughed, and Leafpool felt it echoing all around her head. "I just wanted to say, I know how you're feeling. And I am not your enemy."

"I don't know what to think of you," Leafpool said, frightened.

"Think how you like," he said. "I'm only here to tell you that there is somewhere you can be free. They will care about you, and listen to you."

Leafpool tried to back up, but her feet we're glued to the floor. _Wake up,_ she told herself. _Wake up!_

"You seem different then the rest," Sol continued. "I think you would fit in well."

"Stop it!" Leafpool screamed. "Get away from me!" she tried to move her feet again, desperate to get away from Sol. He tipped his head to one side and smiled. "Silly Leafpool," he said softly. "Don't you see that this world doesn't deserve you?"

Leafpool stopped struggling at this. "What?" she said, voice cracking. Sol took a few paces towards her, nearly close enough to reach out and touch her.

"I know Crowfeather left you," he said sympathetically. Leafpool shied away.

"You can be happy, but I'm not going to force you." Sol smiled at her again. "You have to choose."

"I'll never go with you," Leafpool snapped. Sol just shrugged. "Very well," he said simply.

"But I know you want to be happy. So when you choose to be, you know where to find me..."

Sol suddenly faded away, and Leafpool woke up with a start, heart racing. She was sitting at her office desk at work. Papers were strewn all over the place, and Graystripes donuts still lay untouched on the corner of her desk. Leafpool looked at her reflection in the window next to the door, and winced. Her blonde hair was sticking up in every direction, and the makeup which she had scrawled across her face that morning was smeared, making her look like a raccoon. Leafpool clawed her fingers through her hair and rubbed her face with her hands to try and ease the damage. When she was in the process of rubbing off lipstick that had somehow streaked itself across her cheek, the door to her office had opened. Graystripe had walked in, holding a stack of papers.

"Leafpool, these are the files that needed to be backed up on-" he took a glance at her face.

"New look?" he said at last. Leafpool rolled her eyes. "No," she said. "It just smeared when I rubbed my eyes."

"Huh," Graystripe looked at his box of donuts and scowled. "First you demand them, then you refuse to eat them?"

"I'm getting to it," Leafpool growled. "Now pass me those papers."

Graystripe handed the stack to her, then fiddled with his thumbs awkwardly.

"Don't you have some work you should be pretending to do?" Leafpool snapped, taking a sip of her coffee. It was ice cold, and Leafpool had to force herself to swallow it. Graystripe continued to stand there for a few more seconds, then finally opened his mouth to speak.

"We're worried about you, Leafpool."

"Excuse me?" Leafpool said rudely. She wished he would just leave.

"You're always holed up in here, and you're falling asleep on the job," Graystripe admitted. "And no offence, but you're not looking that great."

Leafpool took another glance at her reflection and narrowed her eyes. "Just because my _makeup _isn't perfect doesn't give you the right to make comments about it!" she yelled. "Now get out!" Leafpool watched Graystripe hurry out the door and immediately wished she hadn't yelled. She banged her head against her desk. _Bang_. _Bangbangbang. _Leafpool thought about Sol, why did he talk to her? _And why the heck did he have to tell me I'm different? _

"You are different," Leafpool heard the voice say.

Leafpool sighed. "I'm just like everyone else."

"No, that's a lie. You're special."

Leafpool threw her hands up in frustration. "I'm a loser," she cried. "Just admit it. Crowfeather hates me. My daughter hates me. Everyone does!"

The voice was patient. "Come join me, Leafpool."

Leafpool stared at the invisible face. "Tell me how to get there."

**Meanwhile**

Graystripe looked through the window at Leafpool sitting in her office. Graystripe felt a sickening feeling in his chest as he watched his friend talking to no one. And banging her head against the desk, it made him want to cry. He walked back to his office, and picked up his phone. He dialed the number, and waited for someone to pick up.

"Mental health line," the person said on the other end. Graystripe cleared his throat.

"Hi, my name is Graystripe and I'm a detective at the Thunderclan agency."

"What can we do for you?"

Graystripe took a deep breath. "I would like to report a friend of mine, Leafpool. She's also the head detective," Graystripe felt tears coming to his eyes and had to force them not to fall.

"I think she's mentally ill. She's talking to herself, and banging her head against things..."

Graystripe could hear a pen scratching, the person on the other end of the phone taking notes.

"Any major mood changes? Loss of interests, giving away personal items?"

"She acts like someones watching her," a tear slid down Graystripes face. "She falls asleep at work."

They continued talking for several more minutes. Graystripe gave her Leafpools name and address, then hung up the phone. He felt like the worlds biggest traitor.

_Ashfur walked through the cold forest, irritated and hungry. His quest to find "Wonderland" was unsurprisingly unsuccessful, and he wanted to go back to his cell and sleep. Pushing his way through a thick patch of bushes, Ashfur squinted his eyes against a blinding light. He looked at it, wondering where it was coming from. _

_He didn't even see the man behind him._

_He didn't scream when a bag was pulled over his head._


	6. Chapter 6

Sol in Wonderland

Chapter 6

_Sol sat there alone again_

_Around the cats, his pretend friends._

_His heart beat fast_

_He's lost his soul_

_Into the depths _

_A fiery cold_

_But how had he gone there to here?_

_Into the places he used to fear?_

_And Hollyleaf, the promised cat_

_Did it all wrong and know we're back_

_To suffocating, excruciating _

_Crazy yet intoxicating_

_Wonderland?_

_Where is it and what it is_

_Is a secret of Sols, it is_

_By why do they want me? What's it about him_

_That made them risk all their lives on whim _

_To recruit is to gain_

_All their poverty, fame?_

_We listen to them and break their hearts._

_So join us, join us, if it's real_

_If you feel that this is real,_

_My Wonderland, you're toy,_

_For disturbed girls and boys_

_You'll be so happy_

_And never ignored_

_All of your sadness locked behind a door_

_And call all your worries, buried in the floor_

_Leafpool, Leafpool, can you hear me?_

_Tell me love, what do you see?_

_A hand, an eye, a tear you can cry?_

_Why do you say things that's only a lie_

_We're here to help you_

_To regain your soul_

_To pull all your visions in this cloudy hole_

_We are here to help my dear_

_Now where's this place that you love to fear?_

"_My names Leafpool and I think I'm_

_going to kill him this time_

_Sol said he would be so glad_

_And if I said no he would be mad_

_But now im lost, im so damn lost_

_What have I done all this time?_

_Was Wonderland just in my mind?"_

_Leafpool, yes its all pretend_

_now I give to you_

The End


End file.
